staan
/staːn/
To stand in Dutch is staan.
The verb staan means to support oneself on the feet in an erect position. It is also used to describe objects that are in a vertical position, such as a lamp or a bottle.
Meaning: to support oneself on the feet in an erect position (verb)
Which one should you use?
While staan describes objects in a vertical position, the verb liggen is used for objects in a horizontal position, such as a book or a person lying down. Additionally, if you want to specifically describe the action of rising from a sitting or lying position, use the separable verb opstaan.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The past tense of staan is stond, and the past participle is gestaan.
How do you pronounce it?
/staːn/
Did you know?
- When describing how a piece of clothing fits, Dutch speakers use staan, saying a color or style staat me goed to mean it looks good on them.
- In Dutch, a plate or a cup is said to staan on a table, whereas in English these objects simply 'sit' or 'are' on the table.
- The Dutch verb staan can also be used to express that a certain amount of money is 'standing' or available in an account, though this is more idiomatic.
Examples in context
- Ik zal wel staan.I'll stand.This sentence shows how to express the intention to stand using staan.Tatoeba #12982324 by MarijnKp, translation #2111771 by CK
- Ik kan niet staan.I can't stand.This sentence expresses the inability to stand using staan.Tatoeba #7833244 by MarijnKp, translation #1954908 by CK
- Waar moet ik staan?Where do you want me to stand?This sentence is used to ask for a specific location to stand using staan.Tatoeba #9715948 by megamanenm, translation #9715946 by megamanenm
- Kunt u mij de huidige stand van zaken geven?Could you provide me with the current status/position?
- Hoe is de financiële toestand van het bedrijf?How is the financial state of the company?
- 43 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Levi and Lisa are at a crowded bus stop.
- LeviMoet ik hier staan?Should I stand here?
- LisaJa, blijf maar staan.Yes, just keep standing there.
- LeviIk ben moe van het staan.I am tired of standing.
- LisaDe bus komt bijna aan.The bus is arriving soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “stand” translations and entries staan, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
